Hydraulic mineral separating apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. S. LOGKHART 8v B. W. STREETER. HYDRAULIC MINERAL SEPARATING APPARATUS.

No. 489,538. Patented Jan. 10,1893.

FIG.|.

4 was/0212215 A. (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. S. LOGKHART & E. W. STREETER. HYDRAULIC MINERALSEPARATING APPARATUS.

No. 489,538. Patented Jan. 10, 1893.

v 8 v Rve2zf0i$ 7 W 2? Zocqar 4 Eda/m W W/ Z w 5y M 1% UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM STRONAOH LOOKHART AND EDWIN W. STREETER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND; SAID STREETER ASSIGNOR TO SAID LOOKI-IART.

HYDRAU LIC MIN ERAL-S E'PARATI NG APPARATU S.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 489,538, dated January 10, 1893.

Application filed AprilrlS, 1892 Serial No. 429,642. (No model.)

T at wh m i ay rn: the elevated tank X, Fig. 1 into which the Be it known that we, WILLIAM STRONACH metals precious stones or other minerals'with LOOKHART and EDWIN WILLIAM STREETER, their crushed mineral gangue or matrices, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain and such as quartz duo, have been fed. The

Ireland, both residing at London, England, downward flowing stream carrying the said have invented an Improved Hydraulic Minmixed minerals or other materials is introeral-Separating Apparatus,'of which the folduced by the pipe A into a vertical or aplowing is a specification. proximately vertical column or standpipe B, Our invention relates to an improved appaof any suitable section, either from above or To t for Separating precious t m tals, below, but so that the suspended material 18 or other minerals from their gangue or other Subjected to the upward flow of an ascend ng impurities with which they are mixed, by an current, preferably of water the liquid with ascending stream of water or other liquid the lighter mineral substances passing over which takes up and feeds the mixed minerals the summit O of the said vertical column or 15 into a standing vertical pipe with siphon stand-pipe, and the heavier materials, such as regulated discharge controlling the speed of metals or precious stones, failing to travel the the flow of liquid, the lighter particles of the full height of the vertical colum 0 Stand mixed minerals being carried upward and onpipe fall down into a suit-able receptacle or Ward into the siphon discharge, while those receptacles D for their collection. The ver- 20 of greater specific gravity, fall by their own tical column or stand-pipe may be convenweight through'the stream into a receptacle iently made of glass or other material, so aror receptacles adapted to receive them, and ranged with sight-holes or windows for obserto permit removal without stopping the convation of the behavior of the materials within tinuous action of the apparatus. it. The velocity of the upward current may 2 5 The materials to be treated are by preferbe Simply regulated byturning over the standence first separated into approximately unipipe B as a siphon, and by adjusting the end form sizes by suitable screening, jigging, or E of the said outer siphon pipe at any repulsating apparatus, as maybe considered exquired height by means of the clamp nut E pedient to the various sizes; then passed into which will hold the pipe E at any required 0 the ascending currentto be further separated height along the vertical standard E according to their various densities; but the In order to eliminate the irregularities of ascending current may also be used for sepaaction produced by various sizes of the rating materials of varying density and size crushed or pulverized minerals being treated into particles of approximately uniform together, we may first treat the pulverized 35 Weight, in which case the preliminary operamatrix and stones by jigging or revolving tion of sizing would be unnecessary but trays or drums, provided with screens of vashould follow for the purpose of separating rious meshes so as to divide the material as the particles of similar size from those of far as possible into uniform sizes, forfurther greater or less bulk. v treatment in anyindividual stand-pipe. With 40 In order that our invention may be the betmaterials of similar volume the limit of up- 0 ter understood we now proceed to describe ward travel in the aforesaid ascending curthe same in relation to the drawings hereunto rent or stream will be decided by their reannexed reference being had to the letters spective specific gravities alone, and it is obmarked thereon. vious that mixed stones or minerals may be 45 Figure 1 is a partial sectional view through conveniently treated in this manner. a portion of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a sec- It is obvious that where several successive tional view through a portion of the appaand distinct separations of minerals are de ratus. sired, a succession of alternate descending We employ a stream of liquid, supplied at and ascending currents, at various heights, 50 a suitable head from a convenient source as may be employed, and the separation of the denser minerals will take place in the sucranged so that by means of a suitable valve or cook F above the receptacle, and a valve G or controllable orifice or door, the collected minerals maybe withdrawn from time to time without interfering with the continuous action of the apparatus. The valve G is carried on the lower end of the lever G pivoted at G. and provided with a handle G by which the valve may be adjusted and heldbyalock G The valve F is carried on a spindle F passing through the stuffing box F The valve finds a seat at F andwhen adjusted to this position the material which falls from the vertically ascending current will be caught and held while the collected material in the receptacle D is being removed by opening the valve, after which the valve G is closed and the valve F is opened.

The various sizes of pulverized mineral matter and precious stones assorted from the sieves or riddles maybe treated in a succession of graduated columns, or in different separating apparatus, and the apparatus may be employed for the separation of particles of like size according to their diiferent densities, or of particles of varying size and density according to their actual weight, in which latter case preliminary screening would not be necessary, but should follow. It will be no-- ticed that the current of water containing the material is projected upward in the form of a jet, the inner end of the pipeA being turned upward within the stand pipe and thus the material to be separated is not merely floated but is thrown upward and passes through the upper part of the stand pipe to be discharged, or falls therefrom into the receptacle D, according as the particles are light or heavy.

Having now particularly described and ascertained thenature of oursaid invention and in what manner the same is to be performed what we claim is:

1. In combination the stand pipe, the collecting receptacle, and the inlet pipe for the liquid and material extending to the stand pipe and connecting therewith to form an upward jet, substantially as described.

2 In combination the stand pipe, the collecting receptacle at the lower part thereof,

- the inlet pipe A for the liquid with the material, said pipe connecting with the stand pipe to form an upward jet, and the siphon connecting with the upper end of the stand pipe and adj ustably supported, substantially as described.

3. In combination the stand pipe, the collecting receptacle, the inlet pipe A forminga jet extending up through the stand pipe and means for regulating the resistance to the said jet, substantially as described.

l. In combination the stand pipe, the inlet pipe A having its end within the stand pipe and projecting upwardly, and the receptacle at the lower part of the stand pipe, substantially as described.

5. In combination the stand pipe, the inlet pipe connecting therewith to form an upward jet, the receptable at the lower end of the stand pipe, below the end of the pipe A, the valve F between the pipe A and the receptacle, and the valve at the lower end of the receptacle, substantially as described.

G. In an apparatus for the hydraulic separation of crushed minerals, an adjustable discharge siphon pipe adapted for regulation by a clamp and stand-post,- to anydesiredheight to control the velocity of the ascending current.

7. In an apparatus for the hydraulicseparation of crushed minerals, the combination with a vertical stand pipe, of a receptacle at the base of the stand pipe, anda shut off valve at the neck of the receptacle, and a locked and controllable orifice or door, by which the collected minerals may be removedwithout stopping the continuous action of the apparatus.

I11 testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM STRONACII LOCKIIAR'I. EDWIN W. STREETER.

\Vitnesses to the signature of William Stronach Lockhart:

RICHARD A. HOFFMANN, CHARLES H. CARTER.

Witnesses to the signature of Edwin William Streeter:

ROBERT BILLINGHURST, FRED. CHEESWRIGHT. 

